Services / Urgent Care
Emergency Dental Care
A severe toothache, a broken tooth or a knocked-out tooth won’t wait for a convenient time. Call us at (480) 513-2773 and tell us what happened. We make room for same-day visits for pain, breaks and injuries, and we’ll tell you what to do until you get here.
When to go to the emergency room instead
Some problems that start in the mouth are medical emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Swelling of the face, jaw or neck that is spreading or reaching the eye
- Trouble breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth
- Bleeding that won’t stop after 15 to 20 minutes of firm pressure
- A blow to the face with a possible broken jaw, loss of consciousness or other signs of a head injury
- A fever together with facial swelling
Once you’re safe, we can take care of the teeth.
What counts as a dental emergency
- A severe or throbbing toothache
- A knocked-out or loosened adult tooth
- A broken or cracked tooth, especially one that hurts
- Swelling, or a pimple-like bump on the gum
- A lost filling or crown
- A cut to the lip, tongue or gum that keeps bleeding
If you’re not sure whether it can wait, call. It’s easier to sort out over the phone than to guess.
What to do until you’re seen
Knocked-out adult tooth
Time matters more than anything else here; the best chance of saving the tooth is within 30 to 60 minutes. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the part you chew with), not the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or water without scrubbing. Keep it in milk, not in water and not wrapped in a tissue. Call us right away. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back.
Broken or chipped tooth
Rinse with warm water and save any pieces you can find. Hold a cold compress against the cheek to limit swelling. A sharp edge can be covered with dental wax or sugar-free gum. Avoid chewing on that side.
Toothache
Rinse with warm salt water and floss gently to clear anything trapped between the teeth. An over-the-counter pain reliever, taken as the label directs, and a cold compress can help. Don’t place aspirin against the gum, because it burns the tissue. Pain that lingers or wakes you at night usually means the nerve is involved and won’t settle on its own.
Swelling or an abscess
Call promptly. An abscess is an infection, and it doesn’t clear without treating the tooth it comes from. Don’t try to drain it yourself and don’t apply heat to the face. If the swelling spreads, or you develop a fever or trouble swallowing, go to the emergency room.
Lost filling or crown
Keep the crown and bring it with you. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can hold it in place for a short time; household glue should never be used. Chew on the other side until it’s repaired.
Cut lip, tongue or gum
Rinse gently and press on the area with clean gauze or cloth for 15 to 20 minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, go to the emergency room.
What happens at an emergency visit
Call first
Tell us what happened and how you feel. We’ll tell you how soon to come in and what to do in the meantime.
Exam and X-rays
We find the source of the problem, which isn’t always the tooth that hurts.
Relief first
The priority is getting you comfortable and stable: numbing the area, smoothing a sharp edge, placing a temporary filling, or starting treatment for an infection.
A plan for the lasting fix
Some emergencies are finished in one visit. Others need a follow-up for a crown, root canal or extraction, and we map that out before you leave.
Preventing the next one
Not every emergency can be avoided, but many can. Wear a mouthguard for contact sports and a night guard if you grind. Don’t chew ice or hard candy, and don’t use your teeth to open things. Regular exams catch cracks, worn fillings and decay while they’re still small and painless.
Related services
Having a dental emergency?
Call us now and we’ll tell you what to do next.
This page is general education, not personal dental advice. Dr. Karbasi will recommend what fits your situation at your visit.